Studio Ghibli's creations were once again brought to life as the ever popular animated movies, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, and Princess Mononoke were screened on Animax recently. What makes these animated movies different from the rest is the fact that at the heart of every Studio Ghibli's creations, you can expect to be bombarded with elements of magic and fantasy wrapped neatly in a fine tale of adventure.
These evergreen movies should be on top of every anime fans' priority list, especially the former two. Imagine my surprise when a well known British actor (interviewed at a Comic Con event) even acknowledged Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away as his 'favourites' among anime!
It is should be no big surprise then that Howl's Moving Castle takes the cake for a unique storyline, where a young girl (Sophie)'s accidental brush with beings of magic drastically changes her fate, along with her entire appearance and her life! I found the story highly entertaining with the whole mystery surrounding Howl and his castle. The story is also well-paced and the build-up (rumours flying everywhere!) about Howl keeps you on your toes before Sophie eventually sees him for what he is. Sophie on the other hand, surprises me a great deal with her ability to stay calm thoroughout the entire movie. She is probably the most rational female character I ever encountered and is one who can deal with anything or anyone with the utmost ease and grace. From what I guess, Howl's moving castle is set in an English country. Howl's Moving Castle also wins a thumbs-up for its various picturesque sceneries, from the bustling English town to the quaint cottage nestled in the meadows, are truly a treat. The only disappointment is the ending, it could have been better tied up/resolved.
The other award goes to Spirited Away for its peculiar yet mesmerizing version of the spirit world, where we take a long ride with the innocent, pure-hearted heroine Chiriko into the realms of a world beyond imagination. The setting is unlike any other; every turn and every corner is full of fun surprises and the endless species and depictions of spirits doesn't cease to amaze. The sprits have it-personalities, that is. Thrown into such a strange land, Chiriko struggles to adapt during the earlier moments. With the lives of her loved ones at stake, she has much to endure and it is an admirable feat that she manages to keep a bathhouse operating in tip-top condition at the same time while worrying about the well-being of others. She is a selfless character and a very determined one too. While Chiriko is an open book to read, Haku has a poker face and keeps one on their toes- I couldn't help speculating whether he was a good guy or a bad guy. However, it is through Haku's help that Chiriko manages to return to her own world.
The Cat Returns is much alike to Spirited Away in terms of plot as yet another young girl finds herself involved in the up-downs of a different world. Least you tire of the same storyline, The Cat Returns had the character herself change into the creature. And the twist is, the girl, in her absent-mindedness and eagerness to escape the realities of life in the real world, actually fantasizes about what it would be like to live as a cat! It is only by believing in herself that she manages to straighten things up again. The story revolves around cats so you'd have to be a cat lover to enjoy the show in its honesty. The Cat Returns is a lot milder (and perhaps more boring) than Spirited Away, but it is still a nice tale of how a person is able to change after such an encounter.
Lastly, Princess Mononoke is just not my piece of cake, for all that it is- the entire show does not make much sense and contains no meaning either. Set in ancient times where war and violence are still commonplace, it is a tale of boy meets girl, of them falling in love, and everything else around them matters little. It is just cruel and senseless that everything is destroyed at the end, yet the actual evil still lives on and the hero is so blinded by the mysterious girl that he can't even choose sides, constantly helping her and also giving assistance to her enemies, I would be pleased if he is a double agent of some sort, yet the hero does nothing much- he neither prevents nor aid in the attack, which sadly let to the downfall of one side (that of the girl), and in fact wiped out the entire region. It is a complicated piece- perfect to kill time but otherwise has little to offer with its characters lacking depth and a messy plot.
I recommend the former two masterpieces: Howl's Moving Castle, for its intriguing characters, and Spirited Away, for its mind-boggling, fascinating world.
